Cartav, you're an old gunner - did you ever hear any tales of how those Matadors managed going ashore on the Normandy beaches fullen laden with ammunition, full crew with all their kit and pulling a 3.7in gun. I often womder how many of them survived, it was surely the ultimate test of their abilities.

Never considered that Cliffo, though I guess that by the time we were shifting heavy Ack Ack into Europe, the shooting war must have moved further inland. What I did come across was moving in the opposite direction........ my TA lot were supposed to be the only unit that brought all their guns back from Dunkirk......And Brum, cheeky young upstart.......... they weren't muzzle loaders !

Cartav, you're an old gunner - did you ever hear any tales of how those Matadors managed going ashore on the Normandy beaches fullen laden with ammunition, full crew with all their kit and pulling a 3.7in gun. I often womder how many of them survived, it was surely the ultimate test of their abilities.

I am guessing they either came ashore via the Mulberry Harbour was opened on D+3 (Montgomery having landed on D+1) or they might have arrived on a LCT before that

My father was at Dunkirk with 27th Field Regt RA - they spiked their guns on Brae Dunes. He had to wade out several times before being picked up but I never thought to ask him what sought of vessel he came back on.

A couple of years ago, at a local transport festival, I spotted a Matador gun tractor. Talking to the bloke who was standing by the truck I was marvelling at what good condition it was in.It turned out that the bloke's father had driven a Matador during the war and he (the son) had purchased an old one, which had been converted for recovery work, from a local garage.Determined to rebuild the truck as a gun tractor, so that he could present it to his dad, he wrecked his health working every hour he could.Sadly, his dad died before the project was finished but he had done a marvellous job,I've got a picture of it somewhere.

If you turn up stuff on the Mulberry kit on Google, you'll see pontoon bridging was part of the system. ........... And there's a bit from a grumpy US Navy admiral who claims the fine British Mulberry concept was a waste of time & money when he could have done the job with 1000 LCTs.